Driving, Pitching, Chipping, and Putting

[9wood]

The first half of 2015, my pitching and putting was really the strong point of my game so I starting working to improve my driving and chipping. So then I get my chipping working really good and now all I need to do is work to improve my driving. So in the second half on 2015 I get my driving to a point where I'm pretty satisfied with the improvements I have seen then my putting game begins to suffer so I work on my putting and then my pitching game also begins to suffer, but at least my driving has improved. If only I could get my driving, pitching, chipping and putting working at the same time I might be able to shoot in the low to mid 80's and I would be very happy with that sort of score. Until then the best I can seem to do is high eighties to mid 90's. I'll just have to wait a couple more months for the warm weather to return to see what aspects of my game work in 2016 and which ones don't. 

[dak4n6]

Wait, you're in NW NY and you say a couple months and you'll be playing? Can I have some of whatever you're taking?

Seriously though 9wood, you are experiencing the norm. It's like trying to balance on top of a beach ball. If you ever get all the sections of your game going well, we'll see you on tour. When you consider, there's driver, FW woods/hybrids, long irons, mid irons, short irons/wedges, putter. Then, there's the different types of shots you need to hit with each of those clubs. There's no freakin way anyone can master all of them at once. I think it was Hogan who observed the same in something like, 'I have never seen anyone who can be a master of the driver and the irons', or something like that.

All you can do at our level is try to get as close as you can to being proficient at as many of those sections as possible. IMO.

[Shindig]

I was a 19.x handicap two years ago.  I started working primarily on my full swing.  Somehow, my short game looks better now, largely because when I miss greens, I tend to be in better places than I used to be when I missed greens.

My suggestion:  work on your full swing.  Are there indoor ranges near you?  Can you take video and create a my swing thread?

[9wood]

10 hours ago, dak4n6 said:

Wait, you're in NW NY and you say a couple months and you'll be playing? Can I have some of whatever you're taking?

Seriously though 9wood, you are experiencing the norm. It's like trying to balance on top of a beach ball. If you ever get all the sections of your game going well, we'll see you on tour. When you consider, there's driver, FW woods/hybrids, long irons, mid irons, short irons/wedges, putter. Then, there's the different types of shots you need to hit with each of those clubs. There's no freakin way anyone can master all of them at once. I think it was Hogan who observed the same in something like, 'I have never seen anyone who can be a master of the driver and the irons', or something like that.

All you can do at our level is try to get as close as you can to being proficient at as many of those sections as possible. IMO.

I was being an optimist when I said a couple of months, especially in light of the fact that this has been a very mild winter so far.

I agree with you that what I'm experiencing is the norm for folks like us, but wouldn't it be nice if every aspect of our game came together on the same day at least once this year?

9 hours ago, Shindig said:

I was a 19.x handicap two years ago.  I started working primarily on my full swing.  Somehow, my short game looks better now, largely because when I miss greens, I tend to be in better places than I used to be when I missed greens.

My suggestion:  work on your full swing.  Are there indoor ranges near you?  Can you take video and create a my swing thread?

Interesting that you suggest that I work on my full swing which is what I have been doing outside while I wait for mild weather to return. Secondly, I probably should go and spend a bit of time at the indoor range which certainly would help me get ready for spring. Lastly, because at age 67 I am not very flexible, my swing looks very awkward and I keep thinking how embarrassing it would be to have to watch it therefore I am hesitant to making a video of it and posting it. I did video it once and I couldn't bear to watch it so I deleted it.

[Shindig]

6 hours ago, 9wood said:

I was being an optimist when I said a couple of months, especially in light of the fact that this has been a very mild winter so far.

I agree with you that what I'm experiencing is the norm for folks like us, but wouldn't it be nice if every aspect of our game came together on the same day at least once this year?

Interesting that you suggest that I work on my full swing which is what I have been doing outside while I wait for mild weather to return. Secondly, I probably should go and spend a bit of time at the indoor range which certainly would help me get ready for spring. Lastly, because at age 67 I am not very flexible, my swing looks very awkward and I keep thinking how embarrassing it would be to have to watch it therefore I am hesitant to making a video of it and posting it. I did video it once and I couldn't bear to watch it so I deleted it.

Check out the swing that used to be mine two years ago.  It's linked in my signature and in the "my swing" page.   

Rather than hiding your awful swing, get some tips from the instructors on this site and improve it.  Your score will go down and your swing will be less embarrassing.  It's a win win!

 

P.S. I'm sure it isn't actually that awful. 

[ppine]

On the shorter muni courses you have described the game of golf.  Hit it long and then use an excellent short game for scoring. that is it.

[vangator]

On ‎1‎/‎29‎/‎2016 at 7:56 AM, 9wood said:

I was being an optimist when I said a couple of months, especially in light of the fact that this has been a very mild winter so far.

I agree with you that what I'm experiencing is the norm for folks like us, but wouldn't it be nice if every aspect of our game came together on the same day at least once this year?

Interesting that you suggest that I work on my full swing which is what I have been doing outside while I wait for mild weather to return. Secondly, I probably should go and spend a bit of time at the indoor range which certainly would help me get ready for spring. Lastly, because at age 67 I am not very flexible, my swing looks very awkward and I keep thinking how embarrassing it would be to have to watch it therefore I am hesitant to making a video of it and posting it. I did video it once and I couldn't bear to watch it so I deleted it.

You can work on flexibility.  I'll be 59 in a couple of weeks and I'm fairly flexible (if not pliable).  Get off that NW NY ass and workout!

[9wood]

13 hours ago, vangator said:

You can work on flexibility.  I'll be 59 in a couple of weeks and I'm fairly flexible (if not pliable).  Get off that NW NY ass and workout!

LOL  - Actually I have been working on my flexibility issue this winter. I have been spending time practicing a full swing and it's starting to feel more comfortable or normal. I just got my new Cobra Flyz driver yesterday and worked with it doing full swings. This new driver feels even more comfortable than my old Ping G2 when practicing. Can't wait for a break in the weather to give my new Cobra a test drive.

[vangator]

Just now, 9wood said:

LOL  - Actually I have been working on my flexibility issue this winter. I have been spending time practicing a full swing and it's starting to feel more comfortable or normal. I just got my new Cobra Flyz driver yesterday and worked with it doing full swings. This new driver feels even more comfortable than my old Ping G2 when practicing. Can't wait for a break in the weather to give my new Cobra a test drive.

Good for you.  Working out will pay a lot more dividends than just golf.  I come from a family with many centenarians.  I'd like to be vertical if I get there.

I just posted on another thread about the new shaft I put in my driver.  I only have a half bucket with it, but I was hitting it amazingly.  Any of us can hit a few good shots when we really concentrate and do everything right.  I like it when I don't put my best swing on a shot (I do that a lot) and it still goes pretty well and doesn't cost me instant strokes (ie OB, water or trees).  So far so good.  Playing this afternoon.  It's going to be 70, sunny and no wind today.  Perfect golf weather!

BTW, I've heard looks of good things about the Cobra Fly Z.  I imagine Ricky uses the Fly Z or some derivative.

[9wood]

3 minutes ago, vangator said:

Playing this afternoon.  It's going to be 70, sunny and no wind today.  Perfect golf weather!

 

That is good weather for golf - I would love to be there playing a round. Have a great day 

[vangator]

5 minutes ago, 9wood said:

That is good weather for golf - I would love to be there playing a round. Have a great day 

We don't get many like today.  I'm playing hooky from work this afternoon to take advantage of it.  Tomorrow a cold front comes through and will dip into the 60's with wind.  I'm a real ***** when it comes to cold.

[Marty2019]

On 1/29/2016 at 7:56 AM, 9wood said:

I was being an optimist when I said a couple of months, especially in light of the fact that this has been a very mild winter so far.

I agree with you that what I'm experiencing is the norm for folks like us, but wouldn't it be nice if every aspect of our game came together on the same day at least once this year?

Interesting that you suggest that I work on my full swing which is what I have been doing outside while I wait for mild weather to return. Secondly, I probably should go and spend a bit of time at the indoor range which certainly would help me get ready for spring. Lastly, because at age 67 I am not very flexible, my swing looks very awkward and I keep thinking how embarrassing it would be to have to watch it therefore I am hesitant to making a video of it and posting it. I did video it once and I couldn't bear to watch it so I deleted it.

Video-ing my swing was one of the best things I ever did.   I never knew how badly I was coming over the top and casting the club until I looked at my swing on video.   I literally had no idea.   Several times, video of my own swing has shown me something I had no idea I was doing.  

You don't have to post the video.   Just look at it yourself.   You probably know enough about what a good swing looks like that you don't need us to analyze it.  

 

[9wood]

5 minutes ago, Marty2019 said:

Video-ing my swing was one of the best things I ever did.   I never knew how badly I was coming over the top and casting the club until I looked at my swing on video.   I literally had no idea.   Several times, video of my own swing has shown me something I had no idea I was doing.  

You don't have to post the video.   Just look at it yourself.   You probably know enough about what a good swing looks like that you don't need us to analyze it.  

 

I have made videos of my swing for my own personal viewing. My swing looks somewhat like Jim Furyk's but more unpolished than Jim's yet it seems to produce decent results for me.

Edited February 13, 2016 by 9wood